Low Rolling Resistance replacement tires: Current List

Have read this entire thread tonight--needing replacements for my OEM Yoko's soon and will probably get them by the November rains. Have 30K miles on the Yoko's and the are wearing--evenly--but not a lot of tread left. The Serenity Plus is EXPENSIVE--Tire Rack has a set of 4 Bridgestone EP 422's for $286--not much more than one Serenity! The new Yoko's looked like the way to go until I read the last review that F8L said he found a little disappointing. I want quiet and fairly good wet traction. Is the Michelin defender as good as the Energy Saver A/S? I know the OEM Yoko's didn't rank well in most categories, but I never felt the handling in the kind of driving I do unsafe. Hated the noise! It's late--will have to research the Defenders tomorrow tomorrow unless someone has a good recommendation. Haven't been on the forum in ages--the great members here taught me how to drive my Prius and I haven't had any questions--love this car. 42 mpg the worst mileage--in winter 40's temps with quartering rain and wind and standing road water. An honest, calculated 50-52 mpg most of the summer. Lots of short trips with stops--not the best for mileage but I feel it does very well!

 

As for MPG's the Michelin Energy Saver AS is rated a "10" by Michelin for fuel efficiency.
The Defender Michelin tires is I believe rated a "8" by Michelin.
I believe for pure mpg's the Energy Saver AS is the most fuel
efficient tire in the world.

I changed out the Energy Saver AS after 68,000 miles as the were close
to the wear bars and purchased Bridgestone Ecopia EP422. I took at least a
2-3 mpg hit in mpg's.

 

How about other performance factors and road noise?

 

My wife and I have both noticed at higher speed 65-70 mph the
tires have somewhat of a drift. In fact my wife ask me if the
wind was blowing, and it wasn't. The tires do not appear or feel to be quite
as stable as the Michelin Tires.

The Ecopia tires are much better than the original Yokhama Avid tires
that came factory equipped with the car when new.

The Michelin tires were great in all respects and there was no noticeable
high speed drift or sway. The tires wore perfectly and the alignment is
100% on our Prius.

 

I was just looking at the current tire list on the first post. Why are there no 205/55R16 options? Going +1 is an option over the OEM 15" size, there is nothing that says you have to go to 17" wheels. I have a set of Michelin Energy Saver tires in a 205/55R16 size & others may also be interested in a +1 option for a good compromise with looks & mpg.

 

That sounds like a fine idea. I believe the reason for noting R17 tires is that some cars come with OEM 17" wheels.

 

Hi all,

Hope you don't mind if I join in the conversation even as a Gen II driver!

I need new tires and after looking through all the posts, I've come to a very familiar spot that many of you have already been to: would like to buy the Michelin Energy Savers, but they are not available in my size (185/65R15)

So my question to you - I can find them in 195/65R15, but is going up a size defeating the purpose of the LRR tire?? Or am I better off to simply go with my two next alternatives that do come in my size, namely the Ecopia 422, or the Conti ProContact EcoPlus??

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Cheers!

 

Michelin Energy Saver AS tires are available in 185x65x15. Remember there is also
a Michelin Energy Saver tire that is not AS. The "AS" is the most fuel efficient.

 

Sorry for the confusion - yes, looking at the Energy Saver A/S model, but they are currently not available at any stores in the area...or seemingly online...for the 185/65R15. So, yes, Michelin makes them, but I can't find them! Only the 195/65R15 size.

 

I have about 3 weeks with the Ecopia EP 422. I plan on returning them
per their 30 day money back guarantee and getting the Michelin Energy
Saver AS tires which I had 68,000 miles before buying the Ecopias.

The Ecopia's drift at high speed, which I really found out during our vacation last week,
and deliver less, 2-3 mpg, for fuel efficiency.

The Energy Saver is a far superior tire and worth the extra money in my opinion.

 

Isn't it typical for a new tire to have lower mpgs until break-in? I'm considering getting Ecopia 422s to replace my GY Fuel-Max tires [never again].

Question: my current tires are 205/60-R16s, but that doesn't sound like the right size for the Prius (3rd Gen). I'm unclear what the best size is for a 16" rim.

 

I thought they were done with the A/S.

 

Cool, that's a good thing!

 

Very interesting. I followed the link to the Continental site. They have a "see how much you can save" calculator to let you know how many dollars you'll save over the lifetime of the tires (compared to some unnamed competitor). I did this for both the PureContact with EcoPlus and the ProContact with EcoPlus. The newer PureContact supposedly saves more money (though not a whole lot more) that the ProContact.

They are priced better than the Michelins to begin with. If they really can save me $263 over the lifetime of the tires, and I can get better mileage to begin with, AND they cost less than the Primacy tires, I'm going to have to give these a good looking over. So far, I haven't found them available elsewhere.